Apparatus for a continuous treatment of textile fiber goods

ABSTRACT

For the continuous treatment of textile or yarn, the textile or yarn, previously soaked with a solution for treatment, is treated both with wet heat in the form of saturated steam of 105*-170*C in a closed system, and in a multi-purpose apparatus for a continuous wet treatment of the cloth. The apparatus includes a wet expander, a device for soaking cloth with a chemical solution and for squeezing the cloth, a high pressure steamer, a washer and a dryer arranged in sequence, and, in addition, a sealing device is provided at the entrance and outlets from the high pressure steamer so that many varieties of finishing can be performed individually or simultaneously.

Sando et al.

APPARATUS FOR A CONTINUOUS TREATMENT OF TEXTILE FIBER GOODS Inventors: Yoshikazu Sando; Takashi Tsuchihashi; Masao Takasu; Hiroshi Ishidoshiro, all of Wakayama, Japan Assignee: Sando Iron Works Co., Ltd., Japan Filed: Mar. 1, 1973 Appl. N0.: 337,122

Related U.S. Application Data Continuation of Ser. No. 184,809, Sept. 29, 1971, abandoned, which is a division of Ser. No. 55,204, July 15, 1970, abandoned.

Foreign Application Priority Data Field of Search 68/DIG. 5, 5 D, 5 E, 3 SS, /20, 22 R, 38, 39, 177, 44, 9, 27

[451 Sept. 23, 1975 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,431,372 11/1947 Cook et al. 68/5 D X 2,729,537 l/1956 Lasley 68/22 R X 3,242,702 3/1966 Fleissner 68/5 E 3,292,397 12/1966 Wooliever 68/3 SS X 3,608,109 9/1971 Fleissner et a1 68/DIG. 5 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 16,233 8/1964 Japan 68/177 Primary ExaminerHarvey C. Hornsby Assistant ExaminerPhilip R. Coe

Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Toren, McGeady and Stanger [57 ABSTRACT For the continuous treatment of textile or yarn, the textile or yarn, previously soaked with a solution for treatment, is treated both with wet heat in the form of saturated steam of l05-l70C in a closed system, and in a multi-purpose apparatus for a continuous wet treatment of the cloth. The apparatus includes a wet expander, a device for soaking cloth with a chemical solution and for squeezing the cloth, a high pressure steamer, a washer and a dryer arranged in sequence, and, in addition, a sealing device is provided at the entrance and outlets from the high pressure steamer so that many varieties of finishing can be performed individually or simultaneously.

1 Claim, 2 Drawing Figures US Patent Sept. 23,1975 Sheet 1 of2 3,906,755

US Patent Sept. 23,1975 Sheet 2 of2 3,906,755

INVENTORS smmw snN o THKmm Tsucnmnim m smv Twwnsu W101. zsmllosumo This is a continuation of application Ser. 'No. 184,809, filed on Sept. 29, 1971, now abandoned,

. which is a division of application Ser. No. 55,204 filed July 15, 1970, now abandoned. Thepresent invention relates to the continuous treatment of textile fibre goods, especially of cloth, in which a high pressure steamer is utilized for a wet heat treatment with a high temperature and high pressure saturated steam.

The first object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement fordyeing or dyeing with resin finishes which is continuously performed in one bath with wet conditions, (in a humid condition) for textile fibre goods, consisting of a different kindof fibres, at least two fibres, such as goods of blending or mixed weave of, for example, tetron/rayon, ester/rayon, etc.

Usually in dyeing a blended clotch of, for example, tetron/rayon, it is dipped and soaked with disperse dyes on the side of tetron, first, and dried preliminarily in dry hot heat, and coloured by thermofixation (thermosol), (in this case, the rate of adsorption is 27-60%), and then, an excess of dyes are taken away from the side of rayon by a reduction clearing in the steamer. After that, it is dipped and soaked with dyes (reactive dyes, indanthrene dyes, acid dyes, or direct dyes) on the side of rayon, and is dried preliminarily and fixed, and then, an excess of dyes, attached to the side of tetron, is taken away by soaping.

Therefore, in the conventional method, the dyeing of the tetron side and the rayon side is performed in two stages of the process in two baths, and the excessive dyes, attached to the other side in each process, must be separately taken away.

On the contrary, the present invention makes it possible to treat both sides of tetron and rayon simultaneously and in one bath, by means of the above dyeing or deying with resin finishes performed at a high temperature and a high pressure (in a humid condition) in a high pressuresteamer for treatment with a high temperature and high pressure saturated steam.

According to the present invention; disperse dyes, as the main components, are put in the solution vessel simultaneously with reactive, indanthrene, acid and direct dyes, and a tretron/rayon cloth is dipped and soaked with the dye solution, and after a preliminary drying, is guided in a high pressure steamer, and coloured by a wet treatment at a high temperature and a high pressure. In this case, the disperse dyes are completely separated by dint of the water content to the tetron side from the dyes, such as the reactive, etc. on the rayon side, to soak individually in each fibre for colouring. It becomes quite unnecessary to use a reduction clearing as the conventional.

The following distinguishing features can be enjoyed according to the present invention:

1. Products of uniform quality and stable quality goods can always be obtained because of a wet finishing in a high temperature steamer. Namely, the cloth, soaked with the dye solution, is guided into the high temperature and high pressure drum (the high pressure steamer), which is in a wet condition. Therefore, the dye solution reacts on the cloth in an instant without generating a listing phenomenon. The water, dissolving the dyes, serves as carrier to fix separately the tetron with the dyes, necessary to the tetron side, and one rayon with the dyes, necessary to the rayon side. There is not such adhesion or contamination on the improper fibre, as shown in the thermosol dye fixation. Thus, the prescribed products can be produced'in any case, so that the finishing for the quality goods is available.

2. The one bath dyeing can be achieved'in a few seconds or in minutes because of the wet finishing.

As a high temperature and high pressure treatment is performed in saturated steam, the water, contained in the cloth, becomes a carrier to make it easier for the dye solution to shift and fix. The one bath dyeing can be achieved at such a speed as, for example, in 15 seconds to 3 minutes.

' 3.0wing to the wet finishing, a heat setting can be achieved and the hand feel of the products may be also better.

Being treated at a high temperatures and a high pressure in saturated steam, the fibre can be fixed by heat in the swelling and wetting condition, and besides, because of a treatmentin a drum, having a certain and stationary temperature, the thermal distribution is uniform, not only making it possible to set the cloth uniformly by heat, but also making the quality of the cloth quite better, without being yellowed by dry heat or being degraded by dry heat.

4. The treatment can be reproduced more exactly owing to the wet finishing.

The fixation of dyes to cloth in the drum has been proved to have the adhesiveness of 9798%, as shown with the data. Therefore, the colour tone can be easily reproduced in accordance with the data, obtained from theexperimental reactions. it makes it unnecessary to prepare fabrics for the experiment, and the laboratory and the works are directly connected to each other for aiding in cost reduction.

' 5. Owing to the wet finishing, the quantity of dyes to be used is reduced to below 50% of the conventional, and thus, the cost may be reduced.

Owing to the wet heat treatment, it becomes unnecessary to use excessive dyes, which are attached to the cloth, considering the sublimation ,7 of the dyes. As shown in a dry heat method, superficial dyes may be dispersed, depending on the condition of the velocity of wind, etc. But in this case, there is not such a dispersion and it will do well if the cloth is supplied with dyes in a quantity just enough'for colouring.

6. Owing to the wet finishing, resin finishes can be achieved in one bath simultaneously with dyeing. Resin materials may be added at the'same time as dyeing, and thus, dyeing with resin finishes can be achieved.

7. Owing to the wet finishing, a colour change can be performedwithout a stop of operation.

The dyes, attached on the surface of the roll portion, are not fixed by heat owing to its water content in the wet heat finishing. In case of a colour change, the guide cloth is wiped without a stopof operation at the switching time, and in the meantime, the next solution is prepared in a dye vat and the next fabric is connected with the end of the guide cloth, and thus, the apparatus can be operated without a stop of the machine.

8. A small-scale finishing of many kinds of goods can be continuously performed owing to the wet finishing.

As shown in the previous paragraph, the part, contacted with the cloth in the drum, is not much contaminated and easily cleaned, Therefore, it is simple to change colours and so, it is easy to perform a continuous finishing of small lots.

9. Owing to the wet finishing, it is possible to perform a continuous finishing for tetron/wool, ester/wool, tetron/cotton, tetron/rayon, ester/cotton, ester/rayon, and knitted goods, woven fabrics, laces, non-woven fabrics, fancy weaved goods, treated yarns, rugs, knitted fabrics, or cotton yarns, synthetic fibre yarns and tows.

l0. Owing to the wet finishing, it is possible to perform a continuous finishing throughout the process.

The present invention is to provide for dyeing and finishing of woven woolen fabrics, characterized in that woven woolen fabrics, especially, blended and crossplaited woolen fabrics, are dyed in one bath, in use of a high pressure steamer, in which a high temperature and high pressure saturated steam is applied to them in vention the woven woolen fabrics are treated in open width and the preliminary setting (2) of the conventional method becomes unnecessary. A process of treatment in a high prpessure steamer (7) is adopted in the present invention, so that it becomes'quite unnecessary to keep such a process of pretreatment of dyeing as crabbing (2) and (4), which require a long time to be completed as shown in the conventional method.

The present invention has various distinguishing features as follows:

1. The appearance and hand-feel of a dyed product can be standardized.

2. A large curtailment of the process can be expected.

open width. 15

Th t b d d f t 3. The desired appearance and hand-feel can be obe presen inven ion wi 6 68611 e re errmg tained on a finished cloth by regulation of time and the attached drawings in which:

I temperature for treatment in the high pressure steamer.

FIGS. 10 and 1b illustrate an embodiment of the presem invention 4. Finished goods have no dyeing speck and each lot Up to this time, the most popular dyeing and finishing 2O 9 goods 18 quite uniform and has a good reproducmethod used for woven woolen fabrics, has consisted l l of the following processes. 5. Fabrics can be continuously treated as when confabric desizing, scouring (1) preliminary tnected with a guide cloth, even in case of a small lot of ting (2) crabbing (3) piece washing (4) 25 y kinds p e Grabbing (5) dyeing wince, or Circular frame or 6. When using a high pressure steamer, dyes can be b (6 grabbing 7 reduction Clearing (8) completely fixed on cloth in a comparatively small wince (9) quantity of required dyes, and further, without any loss drying 10 Shearing 11 Crabbing 2 or exhaust of dyes. There is an advantage also from a wet singeing (10,) 3 point of view of the problems of public nuisance. drying (13) crabbing.(l4) glazing press (15) In the present invention, the saturated steam and the inspecting packaging temperature are, as a matter of course, the most impor- And, in the processes from (2) preliminary setting to tam ,factors for f up of 9 dyemg' T tlme (5) crabbing, it usually takes a long time, Such as required for dyeing, 1S changed mainly according to the days and it is quite inefficient temperature, and is determined by the activat on energy of diffusion or dyeing. It is said that the activation Besides, the conventional method needs many workenergy of diffusion is on an average about -30 Kcallers owing to its discontinuity with a small quantity of mole in the case of cloth being dyed with milling dyes, treatment per hour, and has such a deficiency that unand is considerably large, as compared with that of evenness may be generated in each lot of treatment.

Th h l d h d f l4-15 kcal in case of cellulose being dyed with direct e pliesem mvenixon as i ve t e e 4O dyes. When wool is dyed at a high temperatures, the enand provided for dyeing and finishing in which cloth is ergy becomes one of the great motive powers to speed applied with high temperature and high pressure satuup the fixation. rated stam I pressure m thus the The relation of the activation energy to the temperaprocss q un amplified and an umform fimsh can be ture and the dyeing velocity is quoted from known literobtained with good results. I I ature as follows:

e to the Present e m the dyemg and In case of cellulose being dyed with direct dyes, the fielshmg of weven woolen fabrles can be Performed activation energy is 14 kcal. Supposing the dyeing ve- Wlth i followll'lg' p locity is at 60C, it becomes more speedy as 3.3 at 80C fabric deslzmg, f g p nol'fflal and 10 at 100C. While, in case of wool being dyed with Pressure Steamer p e g y g milling dyes, the activation energy is 29 kcal. Suppos- (4) dyeing Padder (5) mtermedlate drying ing the dyeing velocity is 1 at C, it becomes more hlgh Pressure Steamer (7) g ng (8) speedy as 13 at 80C and at 100C.

\ shearing Concerning the above relations, a detailed report has crabbing (9) drying (10) inspecting been alread known in a literature, which is uoted in 55 V q packagmgthe following:

According to the above procedure of the r t i Relative d eing velocit at various temperatures.

p y Y Activation 60C x0c l00C 1 C I50C 200C energy 15 kcal/molc 1 4 10 40 um x00 10 h 2.5 h 60 min. l5 min. 6 min. 45 sec. 20 kczil/molc l 6 25 I35 590 7250 1 day 4 h 60 min. ll min. 2.5 min. l2 sec. 25 kcnl/molc l 8 56 468 2950 66700 2.5 day h 60 min. 7 min. l min. 3 sec. 30 kcul/molc l 10 126 I590 14500 5 day 12.5 h 60 min. 5 min. 30 sec. l sec.

Note: The second rank shows a dyeing hour at the respective temperature, necessary to obtain the same degree of dyeing as obtained at 100C in an hour. In case of the activation energy of 30 kcal., it can be understood that the dyeing, obtained in one second at 200C, takes one hour at 100C and indeed five-days at 60C.

An activation energy for water permeable synthetic fibres is just about -30 kcal/mole, and kcal. On the average of the activation energy for W001 dyeing is the value in case of dyeing with milling dyes. The value in case of dyeing with 2:1 metal complex dyes in unknown, but it may be probably similar to the above.

Further, another important factor of speeding up the dyeing in the present invention is considered to be that the whole dyes are given on the surface of the fibre from the beginning. In this case, such a necessary time can be saved for dyes to reach on the surface of the fibre, diffusing in the dye bath, as in an ordinary dip dyeing. And also, it is more important that the dye concentration is quite larger than that of the dip dyeing, because the whole dyes are given on the surface of the fibre from the beginning. Of course, at the beginning, the dyes are not in a dissolved state, but partly in association. Even though they are in a high temperature and high pressure saturated steam, the whole of the dyes cannot be dissolved at once. A saturated solution is generated constantly at the temperature and the dissolved dye is quickly adsorbed to wool by a large affinity of the 2:] metal complex dye*, and then, the dye will be quickly dissolved corresponding to it. Thus, a layer of the dense dye solution is formed on the surface of the fibre and a large concentration gradient may be produced.

--6 N N l l l' OH N Cr a wherein X is a soluble radical, such as SO CH or SO NI-I etc.

The dye diffusion and penetration in fibres, namely, the dyeing velocity depends upon the concentration gradient. The diffusion is speeded up in proportion to the concentration gradient. This fact is considered to make a large contribution to the dyeing velocity in the present method.

Many 2:] metal complex dyes have a large affinity for wool and a large rate of dyeing. This fact may also affect grcately on the speeding-up of the dyeing. In dip dyeing, it has a connection with an anxiety of unlevel dyeing that the dye has a large affmity and a big rate of dyeing. On the contrary, there is almost not such an anxiety in padding dyeing, but it becomes rather a favorable condition.

Having a large affinity, the dye in solution is first adsorbed quickly on the surface of the fibre and the concentration gradient of the dye becomes larger on the superficial layer of the fibre, and also, the velocity of diffusing into the inside of the fibre becomes extremely larger. This fact may affect the dyeing multicatively with the fact of the previous paragraph.

Further, it is considered to be a favorable condition for the object of the present invention, that in a humid condition, wool has holes of a diameter up to 60A, above two times as large as those of cottom fibres, in its non-crystallized portion, which have a close relation with dyeing. The large size is enough to pass the dyes easily, having large molecules. And besides, there is also such a favorable condition that the higher the temperature, the more vehement the thermal activity of the molecule is in the non-crystallized portion.

The second object of the present invention is to provide for high temperature and high pressure resin finishing, which comprises that resin is pressed into the inside of cloth and fixed by polymerization to the combination of wet heat and dry heat.

According to the conventional method, having only a dry heat system utilized for a resin finishing, cloth is soaked with a resin solution, and after it is squeezed on a mangle, water is taken away in a drying chamber. Then the polymerization is performed in a baking process.

In the drying process of this case, the resin solution, pressed in the inside of cloth, is moved to the superface of cloth by the mangle, when water is evaporated. The polymerization of resin is performed mainly on the superface of cloth in the baking process. As a result, there are such deficiencies that a superficial resin finishing is apt to be performed to produce a bad appearance and hand-feeding of cloth and that the resin is liable to be stripped in case of washing and others.

In order to make up such deficiencies, the present invention has enveloped that cloth, soaked with a resin solution, is applied with a high temperature steam in a high pressure drum, and the resin solution is pressed under a high pressure into the thus wetted and swelled fabrics, and is subjected in a primary polymerization, and then, the cloth is guided out of the drum, and the resin, penetrating deeply into the inner part of cloth, is coupled by polymerization in a dry heat baking, to obtain a large effect for shrink resistance and create resistance of cloth.

If a soil proofing agent is applied, mixed in the resin solution, a soil proofing can be simultaneously performed.

The third object of the present invention is to provide for treatment of textile fibre goods, characterized by that knitted goods or woven fabrics, which are blended or cross-woven with thermo-plastic fibres, such as thermo-plastic polyester (tetron, esther, telylene, dacron, etc.) on poly-amid (nylon, etc.) and cotton or rayon, are guided into a high pressure steamer after mercerization and/or caustic treatment, to be treated in wet heat by a high temperature and high pressure saturated steam.

Hitherto, it has been impossible to improve a recovery and an elasticity in woven fabrics and knitted goods of spun yarns, because of woven fabrics and knitted goods of spun yarns having no elasticity in themselves.

But, according to the present invention, the former can be easily with elasticity of 19.8% in a horizontal direction and 89% in a vertical direction, and in the latter, bulkiness and elasticity can be considerably increased.

In the present invention fabrics, which are blended or cross-woven with thermo-plastic fibres, such as polyesther (tetron, esther, telylene, dacron, etc.) or polyamid (nylon, etc.) and cotton or rayon, are treated with alkali, and after the alkali is taken away, are guided into a high pressure steamer, as being wet with water, to be treated with a high temperature and high pressure saturated steam, or after passing through the alkali solution, are guided into a high pressure steamer, as being soaked with a dye solution, to be treated in heat, tension being adjusted, in the high pressure steamer, and the fibres are thus given with elasticity.

The present invention provides for the treatment of textile fibre goods, characterized by that thermoplastic spun yarns or woven fabrics or knitted goods of the said spun yarns are in a humid condition into a high pressure steamer to be treated in wet heat with a high temperature and high pressure saturated steam, for imparting elasticity to the fiber goods treated.

in the present invention thermoplastic spun yarns, such as polyesther (e.g. tetron, telylene, dacron, esther) or polyamid (e.g. nylon), or woven fabrics or knitted goods of the said single spun yarn or the cross blended yarns are guided, soaked with water, into a heat treatment chamber (a high pressure steamer) of a high temperature and high pressure saturated steam, and yarns, woven fabrics or knitted goods are treated with heat in an woven adjustable tension condition to produce elasticity in the fibres.

Recently, there has been a rapid transistion a high quality in textile woven fabrics and knitted goods. In many cases, the desired effect has been obtained by using stretch yarns (treated yarns), and elasticizing woven fabrics and knitted goods. But, in this case, highly advanced techniques and huge equipments are required for the manufacturing process of the treated yarns. The generated elasticity itself makes it difficult to treat in a desizing and scouring process and the succeeding finishing process for dyeing of woven fabrics and knitted goods of treated yarns, and necessitates enomously large equipment for special finishes. Moreover, the rate of failure is quite large owing to the difficulty of treatment, especially in case of woven fabrics and knitted goods, of which weft and warp are both made of treated yarns.

The present invention is particularly favorable for solution of many of the above difficult problems. Namely, the present invention comprises that instead of treated yarns, thermoplastic spun yarns or cross blended yarns of the same and other fibres are used for woven fabrics and knitted goods, which are guided, as being soaked with the prescribed moisture, into a high temperature and high pressure saturated steam and are treated in such a short time as ten and several seconds to several minutes, by utilizing the heat setting of the fibres at the temperature of lOl60C to produce a perfect elasticity, and the elasticity can be freely changed as desired by regulating the temperature and the time of treatment, and also the tension, and besides, the treatment can be performed simultaneously with the dyeing process.

Further, the present invention relates to a method for giving elasticity to fabrics of spun yarns.

The present invention provides that cloth is continuously guided through a pressure sealing apparatus into the drum, full of a high temperature and high pressure saturated steam, and after unevenness has been set on the surface of the cloth by embossing rolls, are set by steam to give a large elasticity to woven fabrics of spun yarns in vertical and horizontal directions.

The present invention relates to finishing for importing elasticity to fabrics of spun yarns.

The present invention provides further finishing fabrics of spun yarns, comprising that cloth is guidedthrough a pressure sealing apparatus into a high pressure steamer, full of a high temperature and high pressure steam, and, without delay, is piled in the box and set by steam to be given by force with shrinkage as prescribed, and thus, made elastic in a vertical direction.

The fourth object of the present invention is to provide an. apparatus for a continuous finishing treatment, which treat cloth in a wet condition and at a high speed and can be used for any combination of finishing treatments, such as desizing, scouring, bleaching, dyeing, developing, resin finishing, heat setting, baking and relaxation.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for a high speed treatment, aimed at white fabrics to be continuously treated in desizing, scouring, bleaching, mercerization and with hydrogen peroxide.

The present invention relates also to an apparatus for a high speed treatment, aimed at dyed fabrics to be continuously desized, scoured and mercerized.

Further, again, the present invention relates to a special finishing treatment of cloth, for finishing the cloth after a high temperature and high pressure steaming in a high pressure steamer.

The object of the present invention is that cloth, compressed as being pressed by rolls, is freely recovered and also allowed with a shrinkage by treatment in the high pressure steamer. According to the apparaus of the present invention, cloth can be napped up and simultaneously given a recovery of bulkiness.

Therefore, the present invention provides for aftertreatment in a high pressure steamer of woolen fabrics, such as knitted fabrics and wooven fabrics of treated yarns, etc.

The fifth object of the present invention is to provide a continuous high pressure steaming apparatus, for performing continuously and advantageously various treatments, such as development after printing, resin finishing, etc., as a high pressure steamer being utilized.

The apparatus used in performing the present invention, consists of a padder, an infrared ray non-tough dryer, a high pressure steamer, a washer and a dryer, and is applied for such continuous treatment of cloth, as desizing, scouring, bleaching, dip dyeing, development after printing, resin finishing, relaxation, steam setting, etc.

The present invention relates to a continuous high pressure steaming process to perform continuously and advantageously various treatments, such as development after printing, resin finishing, etc., in which a high pressure steamer is utilized.

The present invention utilizes a padder, an infrared ray non-touch dryer, 8. high pressure steamer, a washer and a dryer, and applies a continuous treatment of cloth, such as desizing, scouring, bleaching, dip dyeing, development after printing, resin finishing, relaxation, steam setting, etc.

The present invention relates to the control of dryness in cloth, by regulating humidity in the cloth, which enters into the sealing part on the entrance side of a high pressure steamer, lest the solution should be pushed out of the cloth, by the pressing of the said sealing part.

When dyeing is performed, and a high pressure steamer is utilized, cloth is first padded with dyes by the padder and then fed into the high pressure steamer to be treated by steam. If chemicals, such as a dye solution, etc. are padded on the cloth more than the prescribed amount, excessive water may be pushed out of the squeezed cloth, when the cloth is held between the sealing apparatus at the sealing part on the entrance side of the high pressure steamer.

At the time, chemicals, such as dyes, dissolved in water, are pushed out together and it becomes impossible to control the dye concentration within the certain limits.

The present invention comprises that lest a chemical solution, soaked with the cloth, should be squeezed out at the sealing part on the entrance side of the high pressure steamer, the humidity of the cloth, at the entrance sealing part, is properly controlled so as to make it possible to treat in agreement with the expected object, which is, for example, to obtain the required dye concentration.

To put it concretely, present invention comprises that while the cloth is padded with a dye solution, etc. and reaches at the sealing part on the entrance of the high pressure steamer, the water content, contained in the cloth, is controlled, and a system of combining a hygrometer for the cloth and a dyeing apparatus provided with a high pressure steamer, etc. is adopted, and the water content is detected by the hygrometer and the result is fed back into the dryer to control the temperature of heating the cloth in the dryer and consequently, the dried quantity of water in the cloth, and thus, the above object can be achieved more effectively.

In the above, it may be considered that the result of detection of the hygrometer is fed back into the padder on the upper part of the chemicals vat, placed before the driver, and the pick-up of the padder is changed to control so as not to squeeze the chemicals solution out at the sealing part on the entrance side of the high pressure steamer. But, in this cae, the amount of the fixed chemical solution is to be changed, and unevenness of light and shade is produced, for instance, in case of dyeing. Therefore, it is not able to be used in practice.

Further, it may be considered to use a procedure in which, an indication from the detector is fed back into the feeding speed of cloth in order to change the dryness of the cloth. In this case, the stay of cloth is changed inside the high pressure steamer and the condition of treatment becomes different. This method cannot also be used in practice.

The sixth object of the present invention relates to cloth relaxation, in which a high pressure steamer is utilized. I

In the present invention textile fibre goods are moved up and down or forward and backward, as they are treated by steam under a high pressure, to be simultaneously relaxed as they are given sufficient shrinkage and also to improve their appearance and hand-feeling.

The present invention has such an advantage that relaxation is performed at a high pressure and the textile fibre goods can be finished to be more softly swelled.

The most important feature of the present invention is that desizing, scouring and bleaching can be performed togetherwith the above-said relaxation finish ing.

The present invention relates to an apparatus, comprising that a washer is installed in a high pressure steamer and the cloth is boiled and treated with hot water at the, temperature, remarkedly higher than that of the boiling and hot water treatment in a normal atmosphere, and as the result, impurities which are difficult to dissolve can be easily taken away and the washing effect is considerably improved.

Further, the present invention relates to an apparatus for steam setting in a high pressure steamer, charaterized in that a place of staying for cloth is set on the entrance side and the exit side in the drum of the high EXAMPLE cf. FIG. la and 1b) The cloth- 401 enters through a swivel tension bar 402 and a cross guider 403 into a chemical solution tub 404, such as a dye solution tub, where it is soaked with a'chemical solution. After it is squeezed at a suitable pick-up by a squeeze roll 405, it enters into an infrared ray non-touch dryer 406.

407 shows a preset roll for the squeeze roll 405; 408, a load cell for the same; 409, is a press cylinder for nipping.

The cloth 401, having entered the dryer 406, is dried, and then, is cooled by a water-cooled roll 410 above the dryer. After passing through a dancer roll 411, a curved expander 412 and a guide roll 413, it is nipped between the sealing rubber rolls 414, which make up the entrance portion of the high pressure steamer. Then, it goes between the sealing hard chrome-plated rolls 415 and through the seal drum 416 to enter the high pressure steamer 417.

418 shows a torque motor for the water cooled roll 410; 419, an exhaust fan for the dryer 406 and 420, and air cylinder for removing heat in the dryer 406.

421 shows an air cylinder for pressing the sealing rolls 414; 422, an oil-pressed cylinder for pressing a side face sealing plate, which is pressed on the end faces of the sealing roll 414 415 and the seal drum 416; and 423, a load cell for the seal drum 416.

424 shows a manhole on the side face of the high pressure steamer 417, and 425, a door lifting device.

The cloth 410, having entered the high pressure steamer 417, is subjected to a high temperature and high pressure steaming treatment while it is shifted up and down in a zigzag line on the upper and lower guide rollers 426. Then, it goes out of the high pressure steamer through the outlet portion 427, having the same structure as that of the entrance portion.

428 shows a dancer roll for adjusting the tension in the drum.

In some cases, the cloth 401 is guided from the cross guider 403 directly into the high pressure steamer 417,

as shown with a dotted line, without passing through the chemical solution tub and the dryer.

The cloth 401, going out of the high pressure steamer.

417 after the above-mentioned operation, passes through the drawing roll 429 and the indirect heater 431 at the entrance portion of the steaming tank 430, and enters the steaming tank 430, serving also as the relaxation machine. While the cloth is going down in a plaiting condition consecutively on each step of the vertically many-stepped vibrating chute 432, it is subjected to a so-called relaxation treatment with a timing, and then, enters the boiling tank 433, installed in connection with the bottom of the steaming tank 430.

Each chute of the vibrating chute 432 has a motor 434 for vibration, and is supported by a spring 435.

The cloth 401, going in the boiling tank 433, is shifted in the solution between the upper and the lower conveyers 434 for shifting cloth, to complete the relaxation finishes. The lower conveyer is vibrated by a vibrating lever 436 to give a rubbing action to the cloth 401.

The cloth, going out of the boiling tank 433, is washed as passing through a non-tension washer 437, and is dried in a non-tension dryer 438, and is spooled by an automatic spooler 439.

Concerning the washer 437, 440 shows a suction drum; 441, a water tank; 442, a circulating pipe; 443, a shower pipe on the side of water supply; 444, a guide roll; 445 sqeezee rolls, consisting of an upper roll of rubber and a lower of stainless steel; 446, an air cylinder for pressing the sqeeze roll; 447, a conveyor for guiding cloth; 448, an expander roll, serving also for drawing cloth and 449, a lattice conveyor.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for the continuous treatment of cloth in a high pressure steamer comprising means for moving the cloth continuously along a path of travel, means forming a high pressure chamber located in the path of travel of the cloth, said high pressure chamber having an inlet opening and an outlet opening for guiding the cloth into and out of said chamber, pressure sealing apparatus located at the inlet opening and outlet opening of said chamber, at least one non-tension washer including a tube located downstream from said chamber in the path of travel of the cloth, guide rolls associated with said washer for directing the cloth into and out of said tub, squeeze rolls located within said washer and in the path of the cloth as it leaves the tub and downstream of said guide rolls, dancer rollers for adjusting the tension in said cloth, at least one cloth expander in the path of the cloth downstream from said tub, a steaming tank positioned in the path of travel of the cloth between said high pressure chamber and said washer, means within said steaming tank for relaxing the cloth, said means for relaxing the cloth comprising a multi-stepped vibrating chute, said multi-stepped vibrating chute comprising a plurality of chutes arranged one below the other so that the cloth being treated moves downwardly from one chute to the next in a plaiting condition, each said chute includes a spring mounting the chute and a motor associated with said spring for vibrating the chute, a boiling tank forming the lower end of said steaming tank and containing a solution for treating the cloth, said boiling tank located below the lower end of said vibrating chute for receiving the cloth after its passage through the lowermost one of the chutes in said multi-step vibrating chute, a pair of horizontally arranged conveyers located in said boiling tank with one located below the other so that the cloth passes beween and in contact with said conveyers for completing the relaxation finish, and a vibrating lever disposed in operative association with the lower one of said conveyers for applying a rubbing action to the cloth as it passes between said pair of con- 

1. An apparatus for the continuous treatment of cloth in a high pressure steamer comprising means for moving the cloth continuously along a path of travel, means forming a high pressure chamber located in the path of travel of the cloth, said high pressure chamber having an inlet opening and an outlet opening for guiding the cloth into and out of said chamber, pressure sealing apparatus located at the inlet opening and outlet opening of said chamber, at least one non-tension washer including a tube located downstream from said chamber in the path of travel of the cloth, guide rolls associated with said washer for directing the cloth into and out of said tub, squeeze rolls located within said washer and in the path of the cloth as it leaves the tub and downstream of said guide rolls, dancer rollers for adjusting the tension in said cloth, at least one cloth expander in the path of the cloth downstream from said tub, a steaming tank positioned in the path of travel of the cloth between said high pressure chamber and said washer, means within said steaming tank for relaxing the cloth, said means for relaxing the cloth comprising a multi-stepped vibrating chute, said multi-stepped vibrating chute comprising a plurality of chutes arranged one below the other so that the cloth being treated moves downwardly from one chute to the next in a plaiting condition, each said chute includes a spring mounting the chute and a motor associated with said spring for vibrating the chute, a boiling tank forming the lower end of said steaming tank and containing a solution for treating the cloth, said boiling tank located below the lower end of said vibrating chute for receiving the cloth after its passage through the lowermost one of the chutes in said multi-step vibrating chute, a pair of horizontally arranged conveyers located in said boiling tank with one located below the other so that the cloth passes beween and in contact with said conveyers for completing the relaxation finish, and a vibrating lever disposed in operative association with the lower one of said conveyers for applying a rubbing action to the cloth as it passes between said pair of conveyers. 